Safeway Launches Victims Fund

SN STAFF

TUCSON, Ariz. — The Safeway Foundation said it would donate $100,000 to launch a fund designed to aid victims of the Jan. 8 shootings here. This opening contribution will be bolstered by in-store contributions from Safeway customers and community members in 116 Arizona stores operated by Safeway, the company said.

“We have felt the shock and the sadness, and with our neighbors, we have felt this community come together to heal and to reach out to the victims and their families,” Dan Valenzuela, Safeway’s division president for Arizona. “The fund is an extension of what we – and everyone in Tucson – have done from the very beginning. As a community, we have tried to find ways to help where we can and to stand together.” In the days since, Safeway has joined thousands of its Arizona neighbors in reaching out to these victims and their families.

The Safeway Tucson store at Ina and Oracle was the scene of the tragic event. The store remains closed today as law enforcement officials continue their investigation. During the closure, Safeway has focused its efforts on attending to the needs of its employees, many of whom came to the aid of victims and put the safety of customers above all other considerations.